title: The yeast model system as a tool towards the understanding of apoptosis regulation by sphingolipids.
abstract: It has been established that sphingolipids are engaged in the regulation of apoptosis both as direct executors and as signalling molecules. However, the peculiarities of this class of bioactive lipids, namely the interconnectivity of their metabolic pathways, the specific subcellular localization where they are generated and the transport mechanisms involved, introduce a considerably high level of complexity in deciphering their role in the signalling and regulation of programmed cell death. Although yeast is undeniably a simple model, the conservation of the sphingolipid metabolism and of the core machinery engaged in regulated cell death has already provided valuable clues to the understanding of metabolic pathways involved in distinct cellular processes, including apoptosis. It can be anticipated that studies using this model system will further unravel mechanisms underlying the regulation of apoptosis by sphingolipids and contribute to novel therapeutic strategies against serious human diseases associated with dysfunction of sphingolipid-dependent cell death programmes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Biologia Molecular e Ambiental, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rego
authors.forename: Dário
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.forename: Susana R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Stéphen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manon
authors.forename: Vítor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Côrte-Real
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D008954:Models, Biological; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology*; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013107:Sphingolipids
keywords: Saccharomyces cerevisiae; apoptosis; ceramide; sphingolipids; yeast